Reclosable package or bag with scented zipper

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a zipper for a reclosable package ( 100 ) wherein the zipper ( 10 ) includes fragrance—carrying oil ( 40 ) within an internal zipper volume thereby confining the scent while the zipper and the package are closed. When the zipper is opened, the scent is allowed to escape to the consumer and to the storage area of the package.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/472,437 filed on Apr. 6, 2011 and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/476,390 filed on Apr. 18, 2011, the disclosure of both of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure pertains to a reclosable package or bag with a scented or fragrant component, such as, but not limited to, a reclosable zipper, in order to provide an olfactory feedback mechanism that enhances the contents of the package for the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

It is well known in the prior art to package scented products in reclosable packages. However, this typically requires a relatively large amount of fragrance-carrying material and further requires the release of the fragrance within the storage volume of the package at the time of initial packaging, which is typically well before the package is opened by the consumer. The prior art further includes U.S. Pat. No. 7,497,623 entitled “Packages with Active Agents”, issued on Mar. 3, 2009 to Thomas.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide a reclosable package or bag wherein fragrance can be provided with a reduced amount of fragrance-carrying material.

It is therefore a further object of the present disclosure to provide a reclosable package or bag wherein the fragrance is not released until the package is opened by the consumer.

This and other objects are obtained by providing a reclosable package or bag wherein the fragrance-carrying material, such as scent oil, is contained in a male profile of the zipper or reclosure of the reclosable package or bag and it covered by the non-scented female profile. The scent remains covered until the zipper is opened, and typically activated when pressed to close. In the way, the scent is used more economically in that the zipper rather than the entire bag is scented. Additionally, the shelf life of the scent is preserved due to being closed or locked within the zipper. The consumer is exposed to the scent only when the package or bag is opened. The consumer is likewise isolated from the scent when the package is closed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical reclosable package or bag incorporating the zipper of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating the cross section of a first embodiment of the zipper or reclosure of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an alternative cross-sectional view along plane 2-2 of FIG. 1, illustrating the cross section of a second embodiment of the zipper or reclosure of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views, sees that FIG. 1 is a typical reclosable package 100 incorporating the zipper or reclosure 10 of the present disclosure.

The package 100 of FIG. 1 is meant to be illustrative and is representative of many different possible embodiments. Package 100 includes first (front) and second (rear) walls 102, 104 which are co-extensive with each other and are sealed together by bottom seal 106 and side seals 108, 110, which may include thermal, ultrasonic, adhesive or similar seals. Some embodiments by substitute a fold in a single sheet of material for one of the seals, particularly the bottom seal 106. The first and second walls 102, 104 are typically made of polymer or laminate, but are not limited thereto. The resulting structure forms mouth 112 which is reclosable by zipper or reclosure 10, leading to storage volume 114 where the consumer product is stored.

Zipper 10 is illustrated in FIG. 2. Zipper 10 is typically formed from polymeric material and includes first profile 12 and second profile 14 which extend across the length of the mouth 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the zipper 10 is attached to the interior of first and second walls 102, 104, but other embodiments may include a zipper which is attached to the upper edge of front and rear walls 102, 104. In this embodiment, first profile 12 includes first base 15, which includes first upper flange 16 and first lower flange 18. At least a portion of first base 15 (possibly including first upper and lower flanges 16, 18) is used for attachment, such as, but not limited to, sealing, to the first wall 102. First profile 12 further includes first male interlocking element 20 and second male interlocking element 22 which are separated by internal zipper volume 24.

Second profile 14 includes second base 30, which includes second upper flange 32 and second lower flange 34. At least a portion of second base 30 (possibly including second upper and lower flanges 32, 34) is for attachment, such as, but not limited to, sealing, to the second wall 104. Second profile 14 further includes first female interlocking element 36 and second female interlocking element 38, aligned for engagement with respective first male interlocking element 20 and second male interlocking element 22 and likewise bounding internal zipper volume 24.

Fragrance-carrying oil 40 is typically placed on first base 15, within internal zipper volume 24 between first male interlocking element 20 and second male interlocking element 22. This fragrance-carrying oil 40 could either be blended on the polymer formulation of the zipper 10 (fully or coextruded) or applied in a separate step after formation (such as extrusion) of first and second profiles 12, 14. In this configuration, prior to the opening of the zipper 10 (i.e., the separation of the first and second profiles 12, 14 from each other) the fragrance will be substantially confined within internal zipper volume 24 and will not penetrate into storage volume 114 of the package 100 (see FIG. 1). As it is expected that the fragrance would not escape externally, the fragrance would be expected to last for an extended period. In other embodiments, the fragrance-carrying oil 40 could be applied on a single zipper 10 wherein the intention could be to modify the smell of the packed product or to release the fragrance externally to increase the appeal of the product before the consumer opened the zipper 10.

In the second embodiment of zipper 10, as illustrated in FIG. 3, first profile 12 includes first base 15 and single male interlocking element 20′. Second profile 14 includes second base 30 and single female interlocking element 36′. Single male interlocking element 20′ has a similar structure to first and second male interlocking elements 20, 22 of FIG. 1 and includes post 41 terminating in arrowhead element 42. Single female interlocking element 36′ has a similar structure to first and second female elements 36, 38 of FIG. 1, and includes first and second arcuate extending arms 44, 46 terminating in respective first and second hooks 48, 50. Internal zipper volume 24′ is formed between first and second arcuate extending arms 44, 46. The fragrance-carrying oil 40 is applied or incorporated into or onto the single male interlocking element 20′ (other embodiments may likewise apply or incorporate the fragrance-carrying oil into or onto the interior of the single female interlocking element 36′, within the internal zipper volume 24, such as, but not limited to, the internal walls of the first and second arcuate extending arms 44, 46). The fragrance-carrying oil 40, and therefore the scent, is therefore covered by the single female interlocking element 36′. The scent remains covered until the package 100 is opened by separating the first and second profiles 12, 14 of the zipper 10 (and may be re-covered by closing the package). The resulting advantages include that the scent is used more economically in that the zipper 10, rather than the entire package 100, is scented. Similarly, the shelf-life of the scent is preserved. The consumer is exposed to the scent only when the package 10 is open, and is isolated from the scent when the package 10 is closed. Further, in some embodiments, the zipper 10 may include a scent absorbing profile.

Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A zipper for a reclosable package including: a first interlocking profile including a first interlocking structure; a second interlocking profile including a second interlocking structure; wherein the first and second interlocking structures interlock with each other and form an internal zipper volume; and a fragrance carrying element within the internal zipper volume.
 2. The zipper of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking profile and the second interlocking profile are formed of polymeric material.
 3. The zipper of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking structure is a first interlocking element and the second interlocking structure is a second interlocking element.
 4. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first interlocking element is a male interlocking element and the second interlocking element is a female interlocking element for receiving the male interlocking element.
 5. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the female interlocking element is formed from first and second arms, wherein the internal zipper volume is formed between the first and second arms.
 6. The zipper of claim 5 wherein the fragrance carrying element is formed on or within the male element which is received within the internal zipper volume.
 7. The zipper of claim 3 wherein the first interlocking structure includes a first male interlocking element, a second male interlocking element and a first base portion therebetween and wherein the second interlocking structure includes a first female interlocking element for receiving the first male interlocking element, a second female interlocking element for receiving the second male interlocking element and a second base portion therebetween.
 8. The zipper of claim 7 wherein the internal zipper volume is formed between the first male element and the second male element.
 9. The zipper of claim 8 wherein the fragrance carrying element is formed on or within the first profile between the first and second male interlocking elements.
 10. The zipper of claim 9 wherein the fragrance carrying element is coextruded with the first profile.
 11. A reclosable bag including: a first wall and a second wall, attached together so as to form a mouth leading to a storage volume therebetween; the mouth being reclosable by a zipper, the zipper including: a first interlocking profile including a first interlocking structure, the first interlocking profile attached to the first wall; a second interlocking profile including a second interlocking structure, the second interlocking profile attached to the second wall; wherein the first and second interlocking structures interlock with each other and form an internal zipper volume; and a fragrance carrying element within the internal zipper volume.
 12. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the first interlocking profile and the second interlocking profile are formed of polymeric material.
 13. The reclosable package of claim 11 wherein the first interlocking structure is a first interlocking element and the second interlocking structure is a second interlocking element.
 14. The reclosable package of claim 13 wherein the first interlocking element is a male interlocking element and the second interlocking element is a female interlocking element for receiving the male interlocking element.
 15. The reclosable package of claim 13 wherein the female interlocking element is formed from first and second arms, wherein the internal zipper volume is formed between the first and second arms.
 16. The reclosable package of claim 15 wherein the fragrance carrying element is formed on or within the male element which is received within the internal zipper volume.
 17. The reclosable package of claim 13 wherein the first interlocking structure includes a first male interlocking element, a second male interlocking element and a first base portion therebetween and wherein the second interlocking structure includes a first female interlocking element for receiving the first male interlocking element, a second female interlocking element for receiving the second male interlocking element and a second base portion therebetween.
 18. The reclosable package of claim 17 wherein the internal zipper volume is formed between the first male element and the second male element.
 19. The reclosable package of claim 18 wherein the fragrance carrying element is formed on or within the first profile between the first and second male interlocking elements.
 20. The reclosable package of claim 19 wherein the fragrance carrying element is coextruded with the first profile. 